Ps. 51- “A Broken and Contrite Heart: Spiritual Leadership”

Intro:

Review from last week:

Last week we talked about walking in the Spirit and presently walking/being led by the Spirit when it comes to:

Sexual Pleasure- one woman man

Spiritual Commitment- faithful, serves, gives, and is a member. Hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience

Strong emotions- dignified, self-controled

Severed Relationships- conflict resolution, patience, gentleness

Social/public behaivour- not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain,

This has been one of the toughest sermons to prepare and I couldn’t tell you why, until this morning. Sometimes we think that being presetnly qualified for spiritual leadership is all about how “badly” you have missed the mark. But it isn’t it is about how broken you are over the times you live life apart from God. Where is the holy spirit in my life?

Outline:

Confession of Sin: “Have Mercy on Me” (vs. 1-6)

Cleansing from Guilt: “Joy and Gladness” (vs. 7-12)

Contrite Heart: “My Tongue will Sing Aloud” (vs. 13-19)

Summary: God is not looking for perfect men, He is looking for Penitant men

Illustration: shooting a nerf gun at a target, “oh, you missed, guess you cannot be a deacon”. You might think, “Well, that is rediculous”. And it is, so what mark have you missed in your mind/heart that is telling you that you cannot be a deacon?

What does a leader look like…interestingly enough, Donald Trumph just won the Iowa Caucus as the leader of the Republican. is that leadership

Prayer:

Confession of Sin: “Have Mercy on Me” (vs. 1-6)

A Plea for Mercy (vs. 1-2)

Have Mercy on Me- be gracious to me, I don’t deserve this!

Oh God

according to your steadfast love

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my- wipe clean; wipe out, annihilate, erasing a human record, imperative

transgressions- my crime, evildoing, violating of a law or a duty or moral principle. From the root “go against, to rebel”

Committing adultery

Conspiracy to Murder Uriah

Lied, sought to cover his sin

Wash me thoroughly- imperative, to cleanse, wash, clean clothes

from my iniquity-misdeed, sin, guilt, the state of having committed an offense. From the root “bend, twist”.

cleanse me- imperative, be clean, to cleanse (of sin or guilt) to make pure or free from sin or guilt, as by cleansing, liturgical ceremonial purification for temple participation

from my sin- an act or feeling that transgresses something forbidden or ignores something required by God’s law or character; whether in htought, feeling, speech, or action. From the root “miss a mark or goal”.

An Honest Confession (vs. 3-4)

For I know

my transgressions- same word as before: my crime, evildoing, violating of a law or duty or moral principle

my sin- same word as before, an act or feeling that transgresses something forbidden or ignores something required by God’s law or character; whether in thought, feeling, speech, or action.

is ever before me- David does not need the reminder, he knows. Also, seeing pregnant Bathsheba would be a constant reminder.

Against you

you only

have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight- it started with a rebellion, a twisting, and missing his relationship with God. and from there it affected many others.

so that you may be justified (right) in your words

and blameless in your judgment

Delighting in Truth (vs. 5-6)

Behold- truth about himslef

I was brought forth in iniquity

and in sin did my mother conceive me- NIV Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”

He understands that he is a sinner, but he doesn’t play the victim.

Behold- truth about God

you delight in truth

in the inward being

you teach me wisdom

in the secret heart

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Are there transgressions in your life that you would like blotted out, iniquity thoroughly washed, or sin cleansed? Of course you do! we all do! Everyone rebels against God, twists or bends God’s rule, and totally misses the mark for which they were created. Everyone needs God ‘s grace.

Is there something in your life that you need to honestly confess to God that is sin? Then do it! If we were to read everyone’s driving records, air everyone’s “laundry”, or take a look at the shooting range of their life we would see multiple examples of how we have not hit the mark. The question is not how have you missed the mark so much as what you do in response.

What do you have before your eyes more, your sin or God’s truth? If your sin is the only thing you can see then you are not putting your trust in Jesus. Look at where God’s delight is, it is in the truth and teaching us wisdom in the secret places of the heart.

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

What record needs to be blotted out?

What stain needs to be washed?

What missed target needs to be refreshed?

The question is not, have I sinned? The question is, what do you do about it presently?

Transitional phrase: Being a Penitant man starts with a plea for mercy when it comes to confessing our sin. No one is perfect, this is not the qualification of Spiritual leaders.

Summary: God is not looking for perfect men, He is looking for Penitant men

Cleansing from Guilt: “Joy and Gladness” (vs. 7-13)

On going cleansing (vs. 7-9)

Purge me-imperfect, to purify, to make pure or free from sin or guilt or other undesirable traits.

with hyssop- a plant (brush-like, absorbent qualities) used in rituals for ceremonial cleansing and atonement (like a mop?), used at passover to smear the blood on the doorpost and lintle.

and I shall be clean

wash me- imperfect

and I shall be whiter than snow- great word picture, snow keeps coming and making things white. I love a good snow storm

sounds very similar to vs. 1-2

Let me hear- imperfect

joy- emotion of great happiness and pleasure

and gladness- the feeling of great joy or pleasure

Let the bones

that you have broken

rejoice- imperfect, to express great joy

Hide your face- imperative

from my sins- same word as before, missing the mark

Blot out- imperative

all my iniquities- same word as before, twisted or bent misdeeds.

Present Renewal (vs. 10-12)

Create in me- imperative, bring into existence

a clean- being free from moral impurity

heart- not public record, not a straighter path, cleaner clothes, missed target, but a clean heart!

oh God- God is the only one that can bring this into existence! No amount of human atonement, purgatory, or indulgence can create this!

Renew- imperative, make anew, restore, reestablish on a new, usually improved, basis or make new or like new.

a right spirit- or intellectual frame of mind

within me

Cast me- imperfect, to cast aside

not away

from your presence

Take not- imperfect

your Holy Spirit from me- a reference to his annointing as King. He did not want to be removed from Kingship for his sin like Saul was. He watched that happen.

Restor to me- imperative

the joy of your salvation

and uphold me with a willing spirit

Future service (v. 13)

Then I will teach- imperfect

transgressors your ways

and sinnners will return to you

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

Keep short accounts, rejoice in the present, and look for future opportunities to serve. If this is not you this year, which area do you think is holding you back that you would like to grow in this year?

There is purging for past sin, present renewal of the heart and spirit, and future opportunities to serve because of God’s grace.

How might God want to use your story to teach other transgressors God’s ways and how to return to God

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Something has to soak up your sin, will it be Jesus or are going to try to absorb your own sin before God and others

Presently, what has been your track record?

Transitional phrase: Recognizing that there is purging for past sins allows for present renewal. Present renewal gives hope to future serivce. The Holy Spirit is needed to remind us of all three.

Summary: God is not looking for perfect men, He is looking for Penitant men

Contrite Heart: “My Tongue will Sing Aloud” (vs. 14-19)

Singing and declaring praise (vs. 14-15)

Deliver me- imperative, to deliver from sin (and consequential judgment) or save from evil

from bloodguiltiness,- the state of being guilty of bloodshed or murder, which David was

Oh God- elohim

O God of my salvation

and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness- imperfect, His standard

O Lord, open my lips- imperfect, liberate

and my mouth will declare your praise- imperfect,

Broken spirit, broken and contrite heart (vs. 16-17)

For you will not delight in sacrifies

or I would give it

You will not be pleased with burn offering

the sacrifices of God are

a Broken spirit- shatter, smash, break

a broken- same root, shatter, smash, break

and contrite heart- crushed, feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses

Oh God, you will not despise- being shattered by sin does not disqualify from service. The pride of thinking you have it all together and don’t need God’s grace does.

Actions that follow (vs. 18-19)

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure

build up the walls of Jerusalem

Then you will delight in right sacrifices

in burnt offerings

and whole burnt offerings

then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Application/Implications:

Renew the Mind (the Scriptures):

What caught your attention in this section?

Which verses or words would you like to study a little more this week?

Engage the Heart (humility vs. pride):

No one on our board right now is without sin. None of the Pastors on staff are without sin. But we might be tempted to ask, yeah, but what sin…

This means that you might see men’s name on the list that have not been there before

Enlist the Body (Words, actions, emotions):

Transitional phrase:

Summary: God is not looking for perfect men, He is looking for Penitant men

Discussion Starters:

Am I presently in the habit of pleaing for mercy, confessing sin, and delighting in God’s truth?

Am I presently glad about the on-going cleansing I have in Jesus, the present renewal of the heart and Spirit, and looking for ways to serve?

Is the sound of praise presently on my lips

Song:

Benediction/Looking ahead: INVITE PEOPLE TO THE CAFE